Oberoi Hotel Dubai

When we think of Dubai, a few things come to mind. Larger than life. Vegas of the Middle East. World-record breaker. Some argue that it’s a little too over the top. To which we reply: Huh? Because come on – it’s Dubai. You go here to go big. So when we heard about the opening of The Oberoi, an imposing glass-façade hotel with stunning skyline views and a 24-hour spa, we thought, bring it on.

The Oberoi, which overlooks the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, is the latest in Dubai’s bigger-is-better opulence. The hotel is conveniently located just minutes from downtown, so you won’t miss the chance to toboggan down an indoor ski slope or peruse the gilded stuff of over 300 vendors at the Gold Souk. Its 252 luxury rooms and suites have floor-to-ceiling windows, sleek freestanding tubs, and commissioned oil paintings by Indian artist Mrinmoy Barua – a touch that highlights the Indian company’s roots.

The Oberoi also gives a culinary shout-out to the homeland with Ananta, a show kitchen with traditional tandoors that serves Northern and coastal Indian cuisine. Ingredients are flown in from India every week to help keep things authentic. But if you need more diversity, there’s the indoor-outdoor Nine7One, which stands for nine different cuisines from seven continents at one destination. Or, feast at the pan-Asian Umai, with a mixed menu of Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine. Feeling daring? If you’ve ever wanted to try fugu, “Japan’s legendary poisonous blowfish,” Umai has the UAE’s only licensed fugu chef, so go ahead, take a chance. You can also grab cocktails and a light bite by the pool, and at the lobby bar or lounge; the former has a choice selection of cigars and the latter is open 24 hours.

But, the pièce de résistance, the moment you’ve been waiting for, is the 24-hour Oberoi Spa. Yes, that means an Ayurvedic massage is available to you at 2am, and if you haven’t tried that, you don’t know what you’re missing. The fitness center is also open 24 hours (slightly less appealing, but you never know), with a yoga instructor on hand for classes on request. And, it’s not just any yoga instructor. Classes are led by Priyanka Chowdhury, who has represented India at the Yoga Olympics. We didn’t know yoga had an Olympics, but we’re sold.

If it’s possible to up the ante in the land of opulence and five-star service, well, consider it done.